Barbados, China strengthen relations

 

The government of Barbados extends a gracious thank you to the Government of China, following the signing of the Agricultural Agreement.

 

This “thank you” came from the Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, during the signing ceremony which was held at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation yesterday evening. 

“We’re thankful that we’ve reached this stage today. There was a time when, especially in the early stages, when we thought that this wasn’t going to happen and then there were some stumbling blocks along the way,” Jones admitted.

 

He also revealed that, not only is his Ministry, but the Government of Barbados, extremely grateful to the Government of China for providing the resources to ensure that the projects got off the ground and are beneficial to not only the people of Barbados, but in the near future, to the wider Caribbean region, particularly across the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

 

Chinese Ambassador to Barbados, Wang Ke, expressed that she is also pleased to announce that the Chinese Government had recently approved to fund the project of the Hope Institute which will be “further confirmed by the exchange of letters between the two Governments”.

 

“I believe that this newly signed agreement, together with the approval and further implementation of the project of the Hope Institute, as another tangible demonstration of the continuous development of China-Barbados excellent relations, will further promote our co-operation in the education, agriculture and science of our two countries and bring benefits not only to the development of agriculture and education in Barbados, but also to the younger generations,” she said. 

 

The Chinese Ambassador also revealed that China will provide a gratuitous aid of 50 million RMP Yuan, (approximately BDS$15 million) to Barbados, to fund the exploration of two projects, namely Hope Agricultural Training Institute and University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Centre of Food Security and Entrepreneurship. 

 

Jones added that these projects are both training and developmental institutions. He explained that the Centre for Food Security is also focused on the entrepreneurial side of things and the Hope Agricultural Training Institute is meant to bring together students from secondary schools.

 

“This will be to some extent a first for Barbados and we will go forward now with greater impetus to ensure that this happens,” the Minister said.